1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a transport and/or storage device for packaged goods, comprising at least one aisle formed as a roller path for the goods to be transported and/or stored.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
In the storage and commission technology shelf constructions of several levels are known with adjacently positioned and stacked storage aisles for the packaged goods. The shelves of the storage aisles are provided with roller paths of rotating rollers for transporting the packaged goods and, generally, are slanted slightly toward the removal side so that the goods supplied at the one end of the storage aisles, the so-called loading or supply side, will move along the roller paths to the other end of the storage aisles where the receiving area is arranged. The supply of the packaged goods at the loading side can be performed manually in that the individual packaged goods are removed from a pallet and placed into the correlated storage aisle. Often, the removal or commissioning in the removal area of the shelf can also be performed by hand.
Inasmuch as the roller paths are slanted, it is problematic to configure them uniformly optimized for all types of packaged goods. Heavy packaged goods are transported more effectively under the effect of the force of gravity and at higher speeds along the roller paths than light-weight goods. When the slant angle of the roller paths is too small, this can result in the light-weight goods not to be transported at all. However, when the slant angle is increased, this leads to an improved transport of the lightweight goods but, at the same time, the transport speed of heavy goods is increased more than proportionally. The latter move with increasing speed along the roller path until they impact on a stop provided at the removal side with significant mechanical loading. In the case of several package goods arranged successively in the aisle, considerable impact pressure can result which is also caused only by the effect of the force of gravity.
It is an object of the invention to provide a transport and/or storage device for packaged goods with which a uniform transport speed of the packaged goods can be obtained, wherein a too high impact pressure as a result of packaged goods backing up on possible obstacles can be prevented.
As a solution to this object it is suggested in regard to a transport and/or storage device of the aforementioned kind that the rollers or rolls of the roller path are provided with force transmitting elements arranged rotatably on the rollers or rolls which can be rotated by a common drive means and in that the transmittable torque between the force transmitting element and the respective roller or roll is smaller than the torque transmittable between the common drive means and the force transmitting element.
The device according to the invention is characterized in that the individual packaged goods, inasmuch as they are backed up on an obstacle, are subjected only to a minimal impact pressure. Also, in this case an increased loading of the drive of the roller path is avoided. Moreover, an especially smooth and uniform drive of the packaged goods transported on the roller path can be achieved. Even packaged goods, such as, for example, filled boxes of beverages of plastic material which are especially critical in the conventional storage and transport technology, can be processed trouble-free and with low wear on the transporting devices by means of the roller path according to the invention. The roller path can extend either horizontally, wherein the transport of the packaged goods is effected exclusively by the drive of the rollers or rolls, or the roller path can be slightly slanted. In the latter case, two transport mechanisms are used simultaneously. The first transport mechanism is the drive of the rollers or rolls of the roller path by means of a common drive means. The second drive mechanism is the effect of the force of gravity as result of the descending roller path. This double movement mechanism results in an excellent uniformness in the transport speed of the packaged goods independent of their weight and size. Even packaged goods with high specific weight such as, for example, beverage boxes are transported as quickly and with almost constant transport speed along the roller path such as particularly lightweight packages, for example, cardboard packages with potato chips or packages with toilet paper. In regard to a slanted arrangement of the roller path, a slant angle of the roller path of 2.5 to 6%, preferably 3 to 5.5%, has proven to be especially suitable for obtaining such a uniform transport.
A preferred configuration of the transport and/or storage device is characterized by a storage area with a plurality of storage aisles for the goods to be stored which extend parallel to one another and are comprised of roller paths.
A common drive means is preferably provided in the form of an endless drive belt. This drive belt, for obtaining a minimal drive slip while providing at the same time an inexpensive configuration of the roller path, can be guided between the force transmitting element and an abutment, respectively. The abutment is preferably in the form of counterpressure rollers.
According to a preferred configuration, the force transmitting element is a bushing supported rotatably on a bearing portion of the roller or roll. A targeted, even though only minimal, friction between the freely rotating bushing and the roller or roll is obtained. This causes a very xe2x80x9csmoothxe2x80x9d drive of the roll with only minimal drive or torque moments while upon increase of this drive moment the friction surfaces between bushing and roller or roll will slip so that no significant torque is transmitted from the bushing onto the roll. The coefficient of friction between roller or roll and the bushing is smaller than the transmittable torque between the common drive means and the bushing. The thus obtained xe2x80x9csmoothxe2x80x9d drive of the rolls results in a reduction of the conveying pressure of the roller path so that only minimal pressure is exerted primarily onto the piece of packaged goods arranged in the leading position at the removal end of the storage aisle. It is furthermore advantageous that also the removal devices, as a result of the reduced impact pressure of the goods, can be operated with reduced drive power.
Preferably, the bearing section on which the bushing is rotatably supported is a pin formed at one end of the roller/roll which has a smaller diameter than the roller/roll itself. In this case, roller or roll and pin can be manufactured as a monolithic part, preferably, of plastic material.
For obtaining a uniform drive action, it is also moreover advantageous when the bushing is provided at its end facing the roller or roll with a circumferential collar. The drive belt can run up against this collar without laterally slipping off the drive surface of the bushing.
For obtaining a sufficient constructive freedom in designing the drive and deflection devices for the drive means of the roller path, it is moreover suggested that the deflection of the drive belt is realized by at least two deflection rollers, wherein one deflection roller is arranged below the removal area of the storage aisle and is driven.
Each storage aisle can be provided with a removal device, and the components of the removal devices can be in the form of a retaining element projecting into the transport path of the roller path and a horizontal conveyor arranged in the conveying direction behind the retaining element whose transport speed is greater than the transport speed of the roller path. Preferably, the conveying speed of the horizontal conveyor is at least 25% greater than the transport speed of the roller path. In this way, a safe and trouble-free separation of the frontmost piece of packaged goods to be removed is achieved from the packaged goods positioned therebehind and transported on the roller path.
In view of the goal of a compact configuration of the device, it is suggested that the horizontal conveyor is comprised of a driven first pulley, at least one further entrained pulley as well as an endless belt which is guided about the pulleys wherein the driven pulley defines the forward end and the entrained pulley the rearward end of the horizontal conveyor.